Page 37 - Bugle Issue 16 Autumn 2020

5RIFLES
BGHQ TRAINING
The 5 RIFLES Battlegroup has a busy
year ahead of them. BATUS 21 will be the culmination of a hard year of training, several demanding BGHQ exercises and Op CABRIT 7. The sum of all being an optimisation of the headquarters and streamlined planning to compete with the speed of potential future warfare. To get ahead of the curve, BGHQ and CIS Platoon spent half of November with their focus on the plight of the Atropian people of DATE, remembering all the lessons they were taught at the Junior Staff Centre. ‘Not all plans come on fag packets’ said the COS as he told Harry Saunders (IO) he had 20 minutes to tell him ‘what the enemy were doing and why’.
CIS Platoon seized the opportunity to conduct some low-level communications training and a couple more NAVEXs than LCpl Woods would have liked, but also elected to test out their survival skills and set about butchering a few pheasants
they bought. WO2 Sanday, relieved to have finally made it as a Staff Officer, was aghast at the surprise sword range spung upon the headquarters in the early morning. In all a very good series of exercises. BGHQ has set itself up well for the ‘reps’ Lt Col Hadfield has planned for them in the new year, and we have had a great opportunity to meet all the attachments 5 RIFLES are lucky enough to work with.
Capt C Needham Regimental Signals Officer
A rough 200 ‘high port, low ports’ were enough to stay
‘Not all plans come on fag packets’ said the COS as he told Harry Saunders (IO) he had 20 minutes to tell him ‘what the enemy were doing and why’.
RSO charging a
‘lone enemy standing’
comfortably warm on a cold November morning
Ex NORDIC BUGLE
The 8-strong 5 RIFLES Nordic Skiing team embarked on their Nordic journey after
a quick recovery following A Company’s ceremonial duties in London. The team launched straight into a 3-week progres- sive training package Idrefjäll, Sweden, delivered by former international athletes and coaches. Afternoons were spent honing .22 marksmanship skills on the 50m range and practicing firing from all positions as we would during the biathlon events to come. The two disciplines were then integrated, focusing on maintaining composure at the firing point with an elevated heart rate – an invaluable skill for any infanteer.
The Infantry Championships took place in Bessans, France where the team quickly found a steady routine of early morning runs, racing, range practice and waxing
skis in the evenings. The strong team ethos set the conditions for a successful championship. The team achieved an impressive 3rd place cumulatively in the individual biathlon sprint and 7th overall despite being a novice team – a testament to the team’s determination and resolve. The Championships, hosted in the French Alps, are identical in distance and disci- pline to the races in Bessans. We were well prepared and thoroughly enjoyed our time on new tracks and routes. The competition culminated in the gruelling patrol race, 20km cross country with a decidedly
more military twist to the stands. Overall, the team secured a top third finish at the Divisional Championships – a fantastic achievement for a novice team.
Lt W Moon
OC 1 Pl
Fortunately the side hat
goes with any outfit
RIFLES The Bugle 37